Liberty softball returned home and opened the home schedule with the Liberty Softball Classic, posting a perfect weekend, to even its record on the season at 7-7. During the Liberty Softball Classic, the Flames outscored its opponents 29-3.
FRIDAY GAME 1: LIBERTY 4, SAINT FRANCIS (PA) 0
Liberty opened its 2024 home schedule with a 4-0 win over Saint Francis and a 9-1, five-inning triumph over Penn State, Friday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium. Liberty has won its home opener all 10 years of Liberty Softball Stadium history.
Liberty built a 3-0 lead after two innings, scoring an unearned run in the first before Brooke Roberts and Raigan Barrett hit back to back RBI doubles in the second. Elena Escobar carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before allowing a two-out single. She threw 10 strikeouts, the most by a Lady Flame since Paige Bachman struck out 12 batters against Kennesaw State on April 1, 2023.
Saint Francis had won the previous four meetings against Liberty, with this win marking the first win over the Red Flash since March 7, 1998.
FRIDAY GAME 2: LIBERTY 9, PENN STATE 1 (5 INNINGS)
Liberty jumped out to a 5-0 lead with a five-run first inning, capped by a Brooke Roberts’ two-run home run. In the second, an RBI single from Megan Fortner and a three-run blast by Sierra Kersten pushed the lead to 9-1.
Penn State was held to just 2 hits on the day, as Kaylan Yoder earned her first collegiate victory, allowing just one run and walking one while striking out seven.
The win marked Liberty’s first ever over Penn State in softball as the Nittany Lions had won each of the first three meetings. penn State was ranked No. 25 in last week’s Top 25 poll by Softball America.
SATURDAY GAME 1: LIBERTY 2, SAINT FRANCIS (PA) 0
Mary Claire Wilson led off in the first inning for Liberty with a triple, then scoring on a wild pitch. The Lady Flames made it 2-0 on a second inning double steal play.
Tyler Oubre recorded her first collegiate shutout, allowing three hits while walking two and striking out five. Oubre, a transfer from Louisiana, recorded her first career collegiate win, as well.
SATURDAY GAME 2: LIBERTY 4, PENN 1
In the second, Liberty got a two-out RBI double from Brooke Roberts and a run scoring single from Rachel Craine, to open the scoring. The Flames doubled its lead to 4-0 on solo home runs by Megan Fortner and Brynn McManus.
Paige Bachman earned the win, her first of the season, while allowing one run on three hits, walking six and striking out four in 6.1 innings. Elena Escobar pitched the final two outs for the save.
SUNDAY: LIBERTY 10, MORGAN STATE 1 (5 INNINGS)
Liberty ran its winning streak to five games, earning a five-inning 10-1 victory over Morgan State on Sunday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium. Liberty scored in every inning and ended the game early on a two-run walk-off home run by Rachel Roupe in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Lady Flames’ 10 runs scored are a season high, while they hit four homers for the first time since March 4, 2023 against Iona. Liberty is off to a 5-0 home start for the second year in a row, as the Lady Flames won each of their first 12 home games last year.
ON TAP
Liberty now heads to Oklahoma and will compete in the Oklahoma Tournament beginning Friday. The Lady Flames take on Tulsa and Oklahoma on Friday, Oklahoma and Louisiana on Saturday, and Louisiana on Sunday.
